Premios Fundación Rafa Nadal
THE RAFA NADAL FOUNDATION PARTICIPATES IN THE “DEPORTE EN POSITIVO” CONGRESS IN MADRID, REAFFIRMING ITS COMMITMENT TO CHILD PROTECTION
On Monday, October 28, the Rafa Nadal Foundation participated in the first edition of the Deporte en Positivo 2024 Congress, organized by Diario AS in Madrid. This innovative event brought together athletes, experts, and organizations committed to social well-being and positive change through sport. The forum, which lasted the entire day, highlighted the transformative role of sport in crucial areas such as mental health, inclusion, the environment, and equal opportunities.
Among the most notable participants were organizations like the Gasol Foundation, which presented its work in combating childhood obesity and its holistic approach to youth health, and the Calderón Foundation, with José Manuel Calderón himself joining via video call from the U.S. to showcase projects that promote the social well-being of children through sports. Also standing out were inspiring figures like athletes Adi Iglesias, Loida Zabala and Marta Francés, who shared their personal stories of resilience, and the Ricky Rubio Foundation, with its Winner project that offers personalized and monitored physical preparation for lung cancer patients. Juan Carlos Unzué, former athlete and activist advocating for the rights of those affected by ALS, also participated, along with the Blanca Foundation, the first foundation fully dedicated to supporting elite athletes before, during, and after their sports careers.
The Rafa Nadal Foundation played an important role with its roundtable, Sport as a Safe Space, in which Eunate Gómez, Head of Projects and Child Protection, and Yosué Piñeiro Santana, social worker at the Rafa Nadal Foundation Center in Madrid, discussed the concept of sport as a safe, protective environment for children. During the session, Gómez outlined the Foundation’s commitment to the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents Law (LOPIVI), which guides its work in child protection.
Additionally, Yosué shared real stories from beneficiaries of the Rafa Nadal Foundation Center in Madrid for whom sport has been a source of refuge and support. He highlighted cases where sport served as a healthy alternative for minors at risk of recruitment into violent groups or gangs.
He also spoke about the “invisible children,” those who experience sadness alone because their immediate surroundings fail to detect any issues. For these children, sports become a space where they feel free, cared for, and safe. The Rafa Nadal Foundation Center works to build trust with these beneficiaries, helping them feel important and fostering self-awareness.